ann17074 — Announcement

Programme for the ESO Open House Day 2017 Now Available

16 October 2017

ESO, the world’s most productive ground-based observatory, will open its doors to the public on Saturday 21 October 2017 between 11:00 and 18:00 CEST. The ESO Open House Day event will be held at ESO’s Headquarters in Garching, near Munich, Germany. Visitors will have the opportunity to experience the world of ESO first hand by taking part in many different activities; the programme of activities for the day is set out below.

Our Open House Day is part of the Tag der offenen Tür that is taking place across the Garching research campus, as well as at several other local institutes.

If you need help to find your way around during the Open House Day, look out for our members of staff, who will be wearing name badges. As ESO is an international organisation, our staff speak several languages between them.

Media representatives who wish to attend the event are asked to confirm their participation by contacting osandu@partner.eso.org.

List of Activities on Offer

Area 1: Welcome to ESO

Pick up free material about ESO, an event programme and a map of the building. Children can pick up passports in which to collect stamps and they will have a chance to win gifts if they accumulate all of the stamps from our activities (on departure, gifts can be collected from area 16). Children can also pick up an album for stickers here.

Area 2: ESO and ALMA exhibitions with models; Ask an Astronomer

Learn more about ESO’s telescopes and the science done with them. If you have questions, look for one of our staff members wearing an “Ask an Astronomer” badge.

Area 3: Adaptive Optics demonstration

Find out more about this fascinating technique which is used to compensate for the turbulent atmosphere above us.

Area 4: ESO Chile Chill

Take a few moments to relax by watching spectacular images and videos from our sites in Chile.

ESO builds some of the largest telescopes in the world. Learn about instruments, ELT prototype component testing and how to optimise the performance of telescopes. Visit our Mechanical Workshop and see live machining from raw material to precision parts to be installed at our telescopes.

Area 10: ESOshop

If you are looking for souvenirs or gifts, this is the place to come.

Area 11: Talks, live connection to Chile and documentaries

Area 12: Cafeteria

Free drinks are available for our visitors. For a small donation you can also enjoy an international buffet with traditional food from around the world, all homemade by our staff.

Area 13: Observing with a telescope

If we have clear skies, astronomers will show you the Sun with their small specialist solar telescopes.

Area 14: Infrared photography

Have your infrared picture taken. Demonstration of interesting experiments with the Infrared camera.

Area 15: Comet factory

At this spectacular comet making demonstration learn about comets and what they’re made of.

Area 16: Face painting; LEGO telescope building; children’s gifts

Children will have lots of fun having their faces painted with all kinds of astronomical motifs such as stars, galaxies or comets.

Area 17: Youngsters Corner

Looking for future Co-Workers! See how creative, exciting and varied technology is! Give it a try: come with us on a hands-on tour, with workshops and experiments — or simply ask us questions to your heart’s content!